HIS VOICE IS FULL OF MONEY \ learning

[NETTLEPAW ♡]

Nettlekit had flourished from the bird's-nest, as much as someone so young could, into rather the social little thing. Flittering around, curiosity as rapid and fickle as a darting finch, he listened to conversations, asked questions, and spoke rather frequently with the other kits. It was beginning to become quite satisfying, the feeling of being known- and not being shooed away like a bug. He'd learned, as long as you didn't get in the face of someone that looked busy, they tended to be a lot kinder to you.

Today, his attention settled upon a cat he did not recognise from the nursery or the medicine den; someone older, and thus wiser. More world-weary, knowledgable... and like a plant under summer sun, he was ready to absorb whatever they told him. Magpiepaw's verbose demeanour had earlier sparked a desire to find out more, and to demonstrate... so, he approached that older cat, clearing his throat upon his descent. "What tribulations have you faced?" he asked, an easy smile framing his words. Sky-blues gazed expectantly, aflutter with a blink as he curled his tail around his paws patiently. Experience was how you learned, he knew that much... but you could learn as well from other people's experiences, other than just your own, couldn't you?​

penned by pin ♡​

 

[CHILLEDSTAR.]

DON'T YOU GIVE ME UP, PLEASE DON'T GIVE UP​

---

they're unsure how to answer such a question to such a young mind. chilledstar, though young amongst leaders and even their clan, has faced plenty, and still had so much more to go through. it was... easier to shut down and not talk at all, versus to talk about the very thing that plagues their soul. they barely know the kit, too busy to play kit games or even speak with them all too much, but they do know that this one rarely ever is seen without a smile. how interesting. if only they could be like that– to maintain some sense of childhood innocence.

"far too many for one story. maybe let's start with one. the time i... became an older sibling to my brother... and his only family all within a few sunrises."

they swish their tail, with a gentle smile, though their gaze is clearly dull and saddened. maybe the kit could tell, but hopefully he couldn't.

"my own mother was killed during the time of the great battle. she had just had my brother... barely gave him a name. and i had to take care of him. it was okay... because that's what you're supposed to do for family. take care of them... most of the time. my father would disagree. but enough about that. wouldn't you like to know about something a lot less... bloody?"

they left details out on purpose but if they kit wanted them, they might have been able to provide. but only if nettle so asked.
​

 

[FERNDANCE]

To say that the cinnamon tabby had had an easy life would be an understatement - all of her family was still alive, she'd been taught freedom and one's self came above all else and, to top it all off, she now had a cushy position in 'the future', as her parents had called it. It was easy to grow complacent with such a life, even if there were several events that had kept Ferndance on her toes. It was only something the large-eared warrior had considered when a youthful voice posed that question, seemingly towards her. As she turned to face them with a poorly thought-out witticism on the tip of her tongue, she instead saw Nettlekit looking up towards Chilledstar, their seemingly sincere expression betrayed by grim words. Her attention slowly swiveled from Nettlekit and onto the leader, sitting in silence as they described their life after the Great Battle. It took Ferndance a moment to see the duplicity in their face, the hurt that came from recalling events that they had no control over. "Wow..." she breathed, staring with wide eyes towards Chilledstar. "I was just going to say that my frog was stale."

​

 

[✧ Siltcloud.]

THERE'S A HOLE IN MY SOUL ( CAN YOU FILL IT ? )
siltcloud | 14 months | female | she/her | physically medium | mentally hard | attack in bold #905d5d

---

Chilledstar's words catch siltclouds attention, moreso than the presence of her kin - nettlekit is all but a non-entity, except in that he is of granitepelts blood. It is a story she does not know, one she'd spent tucked away in her mothers belly for, or perhaps hadn't even yet been conceived. The dust hued molly watches, listens, before the corners of her ow lips turn up at ferndances words. "We've all been through such terrible things... but I suppose they make for good kit-stories," not that she'd ever gotten to listen to them - no, she'd been to bust distancing herself after her brothers loss.

​

​

​

​

 

[COMFREYPAW]

More kits, always more kits. Soon Halfshade’s kits would be in the apprentice’s den with her, and she can drag her nest close to Applekit. She misses the confident little tortoiseshell—she’s not close the way she had been with Applekit to any of the other apprentices she lives with now. Her siblings, too, she feels she never sees, and her mother—she does not attempt to visit her mother any longer. Betonyfrost is a warrior again, a warrior with her own life and wants and needs. She’d made that clear to Comfreypaw more times than she could count.

The newest litters are bumbling about, asking questions, pouncing on tails. Comfreypaw looks wistfully in their direction, a wad of moss clotting her jaws. She sets it down to look at bright-pelted Nettlekit, the oddball in Starlingheart’s litter. He’s one she doesn’t see as much, since Starlingheart’s little family lives in the medicine cat’s den with her, but he’s the friendliest of the three, she does know that. He asks a group of warriors—Chilledstar included—what tribulations they’ve faced.

Comfreypaw flicks an ear, gazing about the crowd. “What’s a tribulation?” She says, her voice soft.

✧ INFO.

•  
• 
  — comfreykit . comfreypaw
  — she/her, apprentice of shadowclan
  — bisexual ; single
  — short-haired charcoal tabby with amber eyes
  — “speech”, thoughts, attack
  — penned by Marquette
  — art by Meadowllark

​

 

[NETTLEPAW ♡]

Too many. Too many to count- it was almost unfathomable. Awestruck, he latched onto the leader's words largely unaware that anyone else was watching. The Great Battle sounded like... a bloody time, as Chilledstar had put it. A soft breath, vaguely taken aback, slid through his fangs. "You must have been brave, to face those tribulations," he murmured, sincerity laced in his tone. So many, in such a short time...

At the sidelines stood a crowd, blurred from Nettlekit's view until they spoke up. He laughed at Ferndance's joke, a birdsong giggle; and at Siltcloud's comment he nodded his head. Kit-stories, maybe... though that seemed a juvenile name for them, didn't it? What Chilledstar had just told him was hardly for kits- perhaps that was why it was so captivating, even in its tragedy. Comfreypaw's question was next to earn his attention, though his clear-sky gaze settled upon her fully. His smile flickered in greeting, though his gaze roamed an inch elsewhere as he thought. It was different knowing and explaining... "It's like... a trial. Something that makes you sad, or angry, but you fight past it." Everyone faced them, Siltcloud had said.

His eyes cast again to the leader, fixing them with an appraising and somewhat adoring gaze. Captivation was full and fierce in Nettlekit. "Less bloody, then?" Could tribulations be without blood? He supposed he'd soon find out. ​

penned by pin ♡​

 

[hitch]

┌──═━┈━═──┐
────── R O S E M I R E ──────
└──═━┈━═──┘

Rosemire is only here because he happened to catch sight of his apprentice, and keeping an eye on her seems like the sort of thing mentors do, right? It'd help, too, if he takes an interest in the things she does; forming a bond is important if she's going to trust what she learns from him, and Rose won't be the kind of asshole who only talks to her when it's for training. So he trails behind, sharply peaked ears twitching as he overhears both her question and Nettlekit's explanation. The context isn't something he manages to pick up on, but he has an idea of what it might be.

"Not fight," he says, straining for steadiness as he sits near Comfreypaw. "Not always. Sometimes it's just about carrying it until it isn't so heavy anymore." Nettlekit's young, though, so Rosemire will leave it at that. It won't be long before he's expected to give everything for ShadowClan, anyway; that kind of thing is its own tribulation.

He clears his throat and gives Comfreypaw's shoulder a pat. It's reluctant, extremely conscious, like the instinct to touch is something he lacks. "Why pick 'tribulations' anyway? Why not uh, times we were brave, or our best adventures?" His pale gaze drifts to Nettlekit, and sure, he figures part of it's that he's just curious. But who the hell was talking about tribulations for him to pick up on it?
​

​